LINGAYEN—Gov. Amado Espino III declared a province-wide suspension of classes in all levels, public and private in Pangasinan on Thursday, July 19 and Mayor Belen Fernandez did the same in Dagupan City due to rising floodwaters caused by days of monsoon rains that were intensified by Tropical Storm Inday which came immediately after TS Henry.

The next day, July 20, Espino declared the localized suspension of classes in accordance with the provision of Executive Order No.66. series of 2012 where he urged chairpersons of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils as well as local administrators to suspend classes if they see the need for it.

In Calasiao town, Acting Mayor Mayor Mahadeva Das Mesina declared the cancellation of classes in all levels (public and private) as the water level of the Sinocalan/Marusay rivers is still gradually rising.

In the case of Dagupan, an independent component city of Pangasinan, Mayor Fernandez continued to declare the suspension of classes from kindergarten to college upon the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Meanwhile, as of noon on July 19, floodwater was still rising along the Sinocalan River as a result of days of monsoon rains in the upland, threatening to flood Sta. Barbara, Calasiao, Dagupan City and portions of Binmaley, according to the Agno River Basin Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (ARBFFWC) in Tumana, Rosales.

Several coastal barangays in Dagupan City were already under water because the rains that accumulated couldn’t drain to the Pantal and other rivers because of high tide that measured at 2.4 feet at 1:53 p.m. on July 19.

Already flooded in Dagupan were Malued, particularly sitio Fisheries, Hererro- Perez, Pantal, Poblacion Oeste, Pantal and part of Bonuan Gueset.

Despite a lull in the rain from mid-morning to noon of the same day, the Tagamusing River from where the Sinocalan River draws its water was still swollen and threatened to cause flooding in Binalonan, parts of Urdaneta City, parts of Manaoag and parts of Sta. Barbara.

Meanwhile, a student from Calasiao was reported to have been swept by floodwater along the Marusay River in Calasiao. His body was found the following day in Dagupan City.

Based on Flood Bulletin No.1 issued by ARBFFW, the Agno River was still below alert level at 11:00 a.m. on July 19. The elevation of water at San Roque dam reservoir was at 251.84 meters above sea level (masl), whereas its spilling level is 280 masl.

No damages were reported at presstime yet except the Garrita Bridge in Bani which was closed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) due to its eroded detour approach.

The DPWH advised motorists going to either Bani, Bolinao and Anda to take the circuitous route from Alaminos City to Mabini, junction Burgos and Agno till the eroded detour approach of the bridge is repaired.

No evacuation was reported any where in Pangasinan and Dagupan City as of July 19 but the RRDMOs of the two local government units were on standby 24/7. (Leonardo Micua)

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